And the hits just keep on coming! New Mitch Ballard work of our favourite "boys in blue" (and red)

(Now with added caption competition and larger images linked)

As if my Robin Model Sheet wasn't enough, I just got e-mailed these commissions I've been looking forward to!

Mitch Ballard can take a lot of the credit (or blame! >:-) ) for my collection, since it was through his first commission for me that the possibilities of the genre opened up to me. The result of my request for Dick as Robin as a prisoner of Deathstroke the Terminator has been posted too many times for me to inflict it on you again, but it showed me what a talented artist could do....

Mitch recently returned to the commission "biz" and since he started my "Robin the Boy Hostage" theme, I decided to ask for his efforts again, this time to help launch my "Nightwing and Nightcrawler" gallery

The left image in red is the first draft outline he sent me, which I really like for it's vertiginous feel, the one on the right is the final inked version, which I adore because these guys are just having so much fun together, and that's what I want this gallery to be about, the sheer freedom of movement these two could enjoy (ironic considering how much I enjoy Mr Grayson when he's not capable of as little movement as possible)!

And as for this next one... well, I did sort of ask for another Robin the Boy Hostage piece. I thought it might be fun to have a Jason and Dick piece, since I don't think they were ever captured together.... Again, I left as much as possible to Mitch, who has an uncanny sense of these things, and I'm glad I did because this one is great...

I thought you might like to see the differences between the first draft, the pencilled version, and the final inked piece...

All sorts of fun story questions come to mind as I look at these, first and foremost, what ARE they being dragged towards, with all those interesting looking spikes/tentacles/probes (Which are they, or are they all three? oooh, Robins and tentacles! NICE!) Are they bait for Batman, like worms on a hook (which works with the chain motif) or are they facing danger on their own to save Batman, or just facing danger?

And as for why Jason isn't getting a lockpick out of his utility belt, well, maybe any attempt to reach it oleads to him being dragged closer, or maybe the belt has been sealed with epoxy by whoever manacled them, or they've been told that the manacles are rigged so that if they attempt to interfere with their own bonds, then explosive charges will be detonated in the OTHER captives chains, and so neither can try free themselves without risking the other's wellbeing).

This would make a GREAT cover, wouldn't it? :) You can almost hear the click of the chains on the winch, slowly and resolutely pulling them closer to.... whatever it is, link by individual link.

Enjoy!

This next piece isn't mine, but I do love it, and I feel it could be used as a caption competition entry. :)

It has a definite... "Sure sure, you got cool capes, but I get to flash my ass every time I go on patrol... and people LOVE me for it!"